Tied To You
by Aleia15
Summary: It was all Naruto's doing.He must have known of my fascination with his old teacher, and in his bumbling manner, arranged for things to happen. Kakashi/Iruka


**Tied to You**

It was all Naruto's doing.

I knew this as I knew more than a thousand jutsus or the names of chakra pathways--it had his signature written all over it. And yet, I though as I looked at the chakra wire connecting my wrist to that of Umino Iruka, I couldn't blame him for it.

Make him pay for it, yes. Blame him, no.

Naruto is, and always has been, a great many things. Impetuous, certainly. Rash, no doubt. Reckless to the point of being almost suicidal. Stubborn as a mule. What he isn't, and anyone who mistakes him for it will pay dearly, is stupid. He plays the part, and he fools most of the people, but he isn't stupid at all.

He must have known of my fascination with his old teacher, and in his bumbling manner, arranged for things to happen. I'd much rather he had invited us for dinner at that shack he calls his home than tie us together with unbreakable chakra wire, but when it comes to Naruto you can never expect him to take the easy route.

Something else Naruto isn't is cruel. It stands to reason that, having suffered from unrequited love most of his life, he's not going to make me--or anyone else for that matter--suffer an entire day tied to the object of my desire when said object of my desire doesn't return my affections in the slightest.

Those were the two thoughts that chased each other in my mind the instant I realized the situation I found myself in. I had just gone to the mission room to deliver my report--ok, I admit it, I had gone _personally_ to deliver my report instead of sending Pakkun, as I usually did, because I knew Iruka was going to be there. I only bothered when I knew this to be the case, mostly because seeing Iruka and taking the chance to annoy him had become my favourite sport as of late. It also meant that I spent an inordinately amount of time in the mission room lately.

I had been in awe with the outspoken chuunin since the day he stood up to me in the Chuunin Examinations. Not many people did that, my reputation enough to make even the bravest shinobi hold their tongues in front of me. That this unassuming teacher dared question my orders irked me at first, which accounts for my cold and taunting response. It soon turned into grudging respect and open admiration.

It didn't take long to fall in lust with him. I mean, who wouldn't? He's gorgeous. It took just one accidental meeting in the training grounds, his hair escaping his ponytail, his face flushed from exertion and a light film of sweat covering his face and neck, for my body to react.

I wasn't in love, not yet, mostly because I am a very practical man. I need more than lust and admiration to make me fall for someone, though it's a very promising beginning. I was certain that if I took the time to get to know him better I would definitely fall for him. My life being the complicated mess it is, I had managed to avoid it so far.

That didn't mean I didn't enjoy annoying him or seeing him at the mission desk.

"NARUTO!" Iruka bellowed, interrupting my thoughts and making me focus in the problem at hand, wincing at the sheer volume of his voice. Naruto wasn't around, of course, or he was very well concealed. "I'm going to murder him," he mumbled under his breath a second afterward, moving his hand to its previous place at his side and tugging my wrist at the same time.

It wasn't a hard tug and I would have been able to stand still but I let myself follow the movement and leaned over the desk, my bound hand setting the papers in disarray before stopping at the edge. I was now very close to him and could see the way his nostrils flared and his eyes widened. I hid a smirk under my mask. "Iruka-sensei," I said in as bored a tone as I could, looking pointedly at my hand. "This chakra wire is quite strong, please remember I'm at the other end and don't make sudden moves like that."

I had the satisfaction of seeing him flush in embarrassment a mere second before his eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry, Kakashi-san," he said coldly, though I could hear the mortification in his tone. "Naruto has gone too far this time."

I quite agreed with him there; as a prank it was a dangerous one for men in our position. We were luckily going through a peaceful period and I had no mission to fulfil, but Naruto had incapacitated two shinobi in one stroke, not the wisest move. I'd let Tsunade deal with it, though.

"Can you break the wire?" Iruka asked me after a few seconds, looking down at our hands again. "I'm afraid I taught him this lesson too well. I was unable to snap it when we tried it in class last time, and I have a long day of work ahead of me."

I made a show of collecting a bit of my own chakra on the tip of one finger and applying it to the wire. We both felt the shock going from our bound wrists to the rest of our bodies, but the wire stood in place as I knew it would.

"No," I said unnecessarily just to see his reaction. It didn't disappoint me; Iruka glared at me and huffed in annoyance, a puff of warm breath hitting my face. I smiled.

"Great, just great," he said, scowling. "I hope Tsunade-sama can break it. I have plans for today."

I wondered briefly what those plans might be and then shrugged, the motion making his arm twitch in accord to mine. "Should we look for the Hokage, then, Iruka-sensei?" I asked, leaning back and forcing him to stand up as I turned around.

"Kakashi-san!" he yelped.

"Sorry, sorry," I said unrepentant and his scowl darkened.

It took a bit to navigate around the desk with his limited movements, and I tried to make it easier for him extending my arm. This brought my hand in contact with his own hand, and his flush deepened. I was very glad my mask covered most of my face as my lips curled into another smirk or I'm certain Iruka would have killed me then and there.

…

It shouldn't have come as a surprise that Tusnade was out of Konoha for urgent business. Honestly, I was beginning to suspect Naruto had some help with his prank, and if Iruka's expression was anything to go by, his _to murder_ list had increased in one member.

My money was on Iruka, nevermind that Tsunade was Hokage.

He glared at the hapless ANBU delivering the news and I watched amused as Weasel squirmed under his stare. Iruka's reputation seemed to be every bit as bad as mine, and where most of Konoha respected and feared me for my abilities, he seemed to get the same reaction just from pure terror.

Maybe it would be wise of me to be at least a bit scared of him, but I've never been one to shrink from a challenge.

"It seems we're bound to be together today, Iruka-sensei," I said after a while, drawing his attention back to me. I saw Weasel heave a sigh of relief when Iruka's glare moved from him to me and then to our joined hands.

"So it would seem," he grated through clenched teeth.

I hid my smile at his obvious discomfort and walked out of the Hokage tower, Iruka scowling at my side.

"I'm hungry," I suddenly said and he turned to look at me as if I had lost my head. It might have to do with the fact that it was barely midday, but it was true that I was hungry

"I have to work," he said slowly, as if I was s particularly dim student.

I cocked an eyebrow at him, my lips curling in a smirk. "Iruka-sensei, I don't think either of us is going to work today," I said in the same tone he had used before. His reaction was instantaneous; he flushed crimson and glared at me. "We're stuck together until Tsunade-sama returns or Naruto decides he's had enough. We're going to need to eat sooner or later."

"Fine. But no ramen," he finally said.

I was glad for that, eating with Naruto occasionally I had to eat more ramen than any sane man would want. I imagined it was the same for him.

"I know a nice place round the corner. You like soba?"

Iruka nodded, a shadow of a smile crossing his lips for the first time. "Yagami-san's?" he said, moving in the direction of the restaurant at my nod. It had taken some time to get used to walk alongside without bothering the other, and now we matched our steps perfectly. "It's my favourite place."

We made the rest of the way in silence and didn't speak until we had the placed our orders. Our bound hands were on top of the table and we were sitting face to face. It was slightly difficult to pick my chopsticks with my left hand, though nothing I was unable to do, but I realized I was in trouble the moment the food was sitting in front of us.

With my right hand bound and the left holding my chopsticks there was no way to perform my speed unmasking and re-masking techniques. I stared uncomfortably at my food.

Iruka seemed to sense my discomfort and frowned, looking at me staring at my food with a confused frown. Realization dawned and he rolled his eyes.

"For crying out loud! Yagami-san! Please pack this to take away!" He chuckled, shaking his head. "We'll eat at my house, and I promise not to peek."

I was speechless. It was the first time anyone had had that kind of gesture with me and to say I was shocked was an understatement.

We were at his house less than half and hour later, the dishes in front of us again. The place was clean but cluttered, as if Iruka had too many things and didn't know where to put them anymore. There were stacks of rolled papers on top of a low table, graded homework on a chair and a thousand knickknacks and pictures on every available surface.

Iruka made a show of looking only at his plate once we were seated at the kitchen table and I pulled my mask slowly down. His eyes never strayed from the plate. Relaxing I began to eat.

"I didn't know you knew Yagami-san's place," I said after a few bits of delicious soba.

He laughed around his mouthful of food. "What, you don't believe anyone except Naturo exists barely on ramen?"

I laughed. "I had wondered--"

"Please, I only go to Ichiraku's with Naruto. I used to love the place, but now--" he made a gesture with his chopsticks, quickly picking a fried prawn and putting it in his mouth.

"Yes, I know, too much of a good thing."

We finished our food in silence after that, but it wasn't the strained silence of people who don't know what to say to each other. It was companionable, it was the kind that fills a restaurant table when people know each other and food is excellent. I liked it.

And in all that time Iruka never looked up.

I was beginning to feel strange, almost as if I wanted him to look at me. That was ridiculous, there was a reason for my mask and it was to keep people form seeing me. That I wanted this man to look was unnerving to say the very least. At least if he tried to peek I'd put him with the rest of Konoha and promptly forget my fascination.

He didn't.

"You can look up now," I said setting down my chopsticks and pulling my mask up.

"What now?" he asked, standing up and moving to the sink to put the plates away. I helped him, and not only because I _had to_. I liked the domesticity of the action.

"You said you had plans so we should hunt Naruto down and force him release us," I said. The truth was I hoped Naruto was very well hidden, whatever Iruka's plans for the day were, I wanted him to share them with me.

"Yes," he said slowly, his eyes moving from my face to the floor. "That's what we should do."

…

It was almost lucky that we were unable to find Naruto. Actually, I suspected that whatever urgent business had taken Tsunade out of Konoha, Naruto was with her.

We tried his usual haunts, asked his friends and checked every hidey hole we could think of, and some I didn't even know. Dusk was approaching when I finally said what was on both our minds.

"I'm sorry Iruka-sensei, but it seems you'll have to cancel your date or take me along."

He looked sharply at me. "I don't have a date."

I put my most innocent expression on, "No? But you said--"

Iruka flushed again. "I said I had plans, not that I had a date," he said, annoyance creeping into his voice for the first time since the whole thing began. "I'm single at the moment."

I couldn't help the smile that curled my lips at his admission and I was grateful for the mask again.

"Oh."

"I was going to the cinema and then have dinner with Genma and Raidou," he said, sounding quite put off. "I haven't had time to relax in a long time."

"You can still do it, though I won't eat in public," I said, trying to sound reasonable. "I don't mind watching a movie."

He looked at me considering. "No, I'll do it another time."

This was the chance I had been waiting for. "Or we can do it. We'll watch the movie and then have dinner at your place again," I said, keeping my tone casual, as if it didn't matter to me one way or the other.

He thought about it for a second and then nodded, his lips curling in a half smile.

We managed to get to the cinema on time, though there was no trace of Genma and Raidou, and sat in the darkness having a trivial conversation while we waited for the film to begin. I had never heard about it and didn't care what it was about or how good it could be. I was there just to sit beside Iruka for two hours, out bound hands resting together between us and touching all the time. I don't think I paid attention to anything happening on the screen with the way I could feel the heat from his skin on mine. I spent most of the time trying not to lace our fingers together, and in a couple of occasions, when Iruka bent close to me and whispered something in my ear, I had to fight very hard not to grab his head and kiss him silly.

Those two hours were sheer torture, and I loved every single second of it.

I realized then my decision to stay away from Iruka had been the right one, though I had taken it too late.

We grabbed some yakitori on the way to his home after the movie, the conversation flowing with ease about a hundred different topics. I had always believed the only thing I had in common with Iruka was Naruto, but now I was beginning to see the error in that assumption. He was a good conversationalist and had a quick and sharp wit that had me chuckling amused in the most inappropriate places. His expression told me he was also having a good time, the weirdness of the situation which had brought us together forgotten completely.

"You know, Iruka-sensei," I said when we finally arrived at his house. "I might need to thank Naruto for this. I'm having a good time, forced as it has been."

He flushed slightly and then shook his head amusing. "Incredible as it is, so am I," he said, though I could tell he was lying. Not about having a good time, it was clear enough he was. But he wasn't surprised about it, which lent more weight to my suspicion that Naruto had arranged this prank for a reason. "That's not going to save his ass, though."

We laughed as we set the table for dinner, our movements synchronized and easy.

He respectfully looked down at his plate the moment the food was served, picking up his chopstick without a comment. I lowered my mask and waited, but he still resolutely looked down. It struck me the ridiculousness of the situation.

I wanted to make this a real date, and end it as real dates do, and yet he didn't even know how I really looked like.

"You can look up, you know," I said, glad that my voice didn't betray the trepidation I felt. I didn't know what his reaction would be at my asymmetrical features and scarred lips. I'm not ashamed of my scars, I'm an active shinobi and scars are par for the course in our profession. But I've heard the rumours about me, and I wondered at the time if he might not be attracted to the mysterious beauty they mistakenly believe me to be.

"You sure?" he said softly, his eyes still fixed on his plate.

I stood up and walked around the table until I was standing next to him. I just wanted to get over this and continue with the dinner. "Yes."

His reaction wasn't one I had anticipated. He looked at my face, his eyes moving quickly over each separate feature before focusing on my lips. I waited, expecting him to say something but he just stared in silence. And then there was a hard tug at my bound wrist and I was stumbling forward, falling almost on top of Iruka.

He was kissing me, was the first thing my mind registered. I needed to kiss him back if I didn't want this to be over right then a there. I did, opening my mouth and allowing his tongue inside, sucking eagerly at it. His hands moved to encircle my neck and press me closer to him and I yelped against his mouth when he twisted my bound one.

That broke the spell.

Flushed, Iruka moved back and looked at me with a sheepish expression. "I'm sorry, Kakashi," he said. "I forgot."

So had I.

He shook his head as if to clear it. "Let's have dinner," he said.

I had never felt less like eating than at that precise moment. "Forget dinner, let's continue." I leaned over him and kissed his mouth again, lacing the fingers of our joined hands together and using the other one to grip his neck. I drank him in, enjoying the taste and texture of his mouth, meting inside.

I was an addictive taste and I knew I'd need more, for a long time.

He stood up and we stumbled our way toward his bedroom, trying to shed out clothes on the way and impeded by the dammed chakra wire.

Finally Iruka made a frustrated noise and pushed me slightly away from him.

"I'm fed up with this thing!" he all but snarled, and with a quick, one handed seal the unbreakable wire had dissolved and our hands were free. I wanted to say something then, but he grabbed me with both hands and we tumbled on top of the bed, our naked bodies pressed against each other, our hands trying to touch and explore the expanse of skin beneath our fingertips.

I don't know for how long we kissed and rutted on the bed, not caring about finesse or anything except the need for completion and the taste-sound-feel of the other. It was over in an embarrassingly short time, the friction and pressure too much to hold for a long time.

"So you could break it any time you wanted," I finally said, too sated and happy to muster even the slightest annoyance for having being tricked.

"Of course," he said smugly, "and so could you without shocking us both to death."

He was right. I just hadn't wanted to.

"I was getting tired of seeing you wanting me and not doing anything to get me," he said, and I could hear the smirk in his voice. "Especially because I wanted you and you'd never given me a chance to do something about it."

And then it dawned on me.

"It wasn't Naruto."

He chuckled.

"Of course it wasn't Naruto. He left with Tsunade-sama this morning on a diplomatic mission to Suna."

He had tricked me, and yet I could not be upset about it. Not this being the result.

"Now, are you going to stay tonight or do I need to tie you up again?" he teased, leaning forward to kiss me one more time.

And of course I was going to stay. But--

"Will you really tie me up if I say no?"

…


End file.
